The red-billed scythebill is a species of bird in the subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Amazon Basin and adjacent South America (reaching eastern Panama)
Typical Environment
Occurs from eastern Panama through northern South America and widely across the Amazon Basin into Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and much of Brazil. Inhabits humid terra firme and várzea forests, gallery forests in savanna mosaics, seasonally dry woodlands, and forest edges. Frequently uses midstory and lower canopy along large trunks, vines, and tangles. It tolerates secondary growth if substantial tree cover remains, but is scarcer in heavily fragmented landscapes.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This woodcreeper is named for its long, scythe-shaped red bill, which it uses to probe bark crevices, dead leaves, and bromeliads for hidden prey. It often forages alone or in pairs but readily joins mixed-species flocks in forests. Its cryptic rufous-brown plumage blends with tree trunks, making it easier to hear than to see. Despite a broad range, it depends on forested habitats and can be sensitive to extensive deforestation.
C. t. brevipennis at Darien, Panama
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between trunks; generally reluctant flier
Social Behavior
Usually forages alone or in pairs, hitching up trunks and along large branches. Commonly joins mixed-species flocks, especially with other woodcreepers and antwrens. Nests in natural cavities or old woodpecker holes; both sexes are thought to share incubation and care. Pairs maintain territories year-round.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives a series of clear, piercing whistles that may speed up or descend slightly in pitch. Calls include sharp, high 'tsee' notes and short whistles delivered from midstory perches, especially at dawn.
